Freshwater Mussels of Florida

An exhaustive guide to all aspects of the freshwater mussel fauna in Florida, Freshwater Mussels of Florida covers the ecology, biology, distribution, and conservation of the many species of bivalve mollusks in the Sunshine State. In the past three decades, researchers, the public, businesses that depend on wildlife, and policy makers have given more attention to the threatened natural diversity of the Southeast, including freshwater mussels. This compendium meets the increasingly urgent need to catalog this imperiled group of aquatic organisms in the United States.

Each entry in this definitive guide provides a detailed description and multiple depictions of the species as well as select characteristics of its soft anatomy and miscellaneous notes of interest. Individual distribution maps pinpoint the historical and present occurrence of each bivalve species and are just one component of the rich set of 307 mussel and habitat photographs, seventy-four maps, and thirteen tables that illustrate the book. Of particular interest are remarkable electron micrographs of glochidia, the specialized larval life history stage parasitic upon fishes.

Freshwater Mussels of Florida will be of lasting value to state and federal conservation agencies as well as other government and nongovernment entities that manage aquatic resources in Florida. The research provides a key baseline for future study of Florida mussels. The survey results in this guide, along with extensive reviews of historical mussel collections in natural history museums, provide a complete picture of the Florida mussel fauna, past and present.

Cover

Title Page, Copyright, Dedication

Contents

Preface

Just a half century ago, there were fewer than a dozen individuals in the United
States actively conducting research on freshwater mussels. With passage of the federal
Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973, interest in the plight of mussels and other nongame
aquatic organisms in the United States began to build. It was soon realized that as...

Acknowledgments

Preparation of this document during the past five years has required the support
and assistance from individuals, universities, museum institutions, and federal and state
agencies. We would like to express our appreciation to those individuals who have contributed
to the completion of this project. We sincerely apologize if we have inadvertently...

List of Bivalve Mollusk Taxa

The following list includes generic names, binomials, authors, and dates of bivalve
mollusks used herein with the exception of those in the synonymy sections of species accounts.
Authors and dates are not included in the text except with the heading and type
species of the generic accounts and the heading and synonymy section of each species...

Chapter 1. Introduction

Freshwater mussels known to occur in Florida’s inland waters belong to the family
Unionidae (class Bivalvia), which is widespread in North America and also occurs in
most of Africa, Asia, and Europe. The family is represented by about 365 species and 61
genera in North America (Williams et al. in review). The Florida mussel fauna, 60 species...

Chapter 2. History of Mussel Exploration

Interest in Florida’s natural history began early in the 1700s, but more than a century
passed before the mussel fauna attracted attention. The first publication involving a
Florida mussel was the description of Unio blandingianus (= Uniomerus carolinianus)
(Figure 2.1) based on a single shell reportedly given to William Blanding, a physician

Chapter 3. Geology and Physiographic Divisions

The landscape that characterizes Florida, and to a large extent influences the composition
and distribution of biological communities in the state’s freshwater ecosystems,
is the product of geological and climatological processes that began hundreds
of million years ago. These processes continue to shape Florida’s topography today...

Chapter 4. Inland Waters

Over 1,700 streams and 7,800 lakes are distributed across the Florida landscape.
These water bodies account for approximately 18.5 percent of the total surface area
of the state. Florida has 170,340 km2 of total surface area, 31,480 km2 of which are
covered with inland waters, ranking it 22nd among the 50 states in that respect. The

Chapter 5. Mussel Distribution

The North American freshwater mussel fauna is represented by the families Margaritiferidae,
Mycetopodidae, and Unionidae, with approximately 375 mussel species
(Williams et al. in review). Unionidae is the largest family with about 365 species occurring
from southern Mexico to northern Canada and Alaska. The two remaining families...

Chapter 6. Biology and Ecology

Unionid mussels are fascinating organisms for scientific study or casual observation.
They have intrigued mankind for millennia, primarily due to their ability to form
pearls, and have served as a food and tool source throughout human history (de Lozoya
and Araujo 2011). Mussels are largely sedentary and spend their lives inconspicuously...

Chapter 7. Mussel Conservation

The continental United States has the highest diversity of freshwater mussels in the
world, with approximately 300 species in two families, Margaritiferidae and Unionidae.
The southeastern United States is a mussel biodiversity hot spot harboring 94 percent
of the 300 species, including 98 percent of the taxa listed as federally endangered or...

Chapter 8. Shell Morphology and Soft Anatomy

Freshwater mussels are bivalve mollusks characterized by two calcareous shells
that protect the soft-bodied animal within. The shells, or valves, are connected dorsally
by a proteinaceous hinge ligament. Mussels vary greatly in shell morphology among
and within species. Variation of shell morphology is determined by the interaction of inherited...

Chapter 9. Format of Accounts for Genera and Species

Accounts are included for all 23 genera of unionid mussels. Genera are arranged in
alphabetical order followed by their assigned species. Each account contains the number
of species included in the genus, distribution, taxonomic history, and general information...

Chapter 10. Accounts for Genera and Species

Family Unionidae
The family Unionidae is represented by more than 140 genera and 674 species
worldwide (Graf and Cummings 2007). In North America there are approximately 365
species and subspecies of freshwater mussels and approximately 300 are known to occur
in the United States (Williams et al. in review). Most of the mussel diversity in the...

Genus Alasmidonta

Twelve species of Alasmidonta are recognized, all from North America (Turgeon et
al. 1998). Alasmidonta occurs in the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins, Atlantic Coast
rivers from Canada to Georgia, and eastern Gulf Coast rivers in Alabama, Florida, and
Georgia. Two described species of Alasmidonta are known from Florida rivers...

Genus Amblema

There are three species in Amblema (Turgeon et al. 1998), which is confined to
lakes and streams of eastern North America. One species, Amblema plicata, is wide-ranging,
occurring throughout the Mississippi and Great Lakes basins and Gulf Coast
rivers from the Guadalupe River, Texas, east to Choctawhatchee River, Florida. A second...

Genus Anodontoides

Turgeon et al. (1998) recognized two species in Anodontoides. A third species, Anodontoides
denigrata, was subsequently elevated from synonymy by Cicerello and Schuster
(2003) and occurs in the Cumberland River upstream of Cumberland Falls in Kentucky
and Tennessee. Anodontoides occurs in Hudson Bay, Great Lakes, Mississippi...

Genus Elliptio

Elliptio is the largest mussel genus in North America, with 36 species recognized
by Turgeon et al. (1998). Four additional species—Elliptio fumata, Elliptio occulta, Elliptio
pullata, and Elliptio purpurella—were subsequently recognized (Brim Box and
Williams 2000; Williams et al. 2008, 2011). However, in a review of taxa described from...

Genus Elliptoideus

Elliptoideus is monotypic and found only in the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee
River basins. Elliptoideus is the only genus of Unionidae endemic to the Greater Floridan
Region. It occurs in Chattahoochee River in Alabama and Georgia, Flint River in
Georgia, and Apalachicola and Ochlockonee Rivers in Florida...

Genus Fusconaia

There were 13 species assigned to Fusconaia by Turgeon et al. (1998). One additional
species, Quincuncina burkei, was placed into Fusconaia (Lydeard et al. 2000).
Five species have been subsequently moved to other genera—Fusconaia barnesiana
into Pleuronaia; Fusconaia succissa into Quadrula; and Fusconaia apalachicola...

Genus Glebula

Glebula is monotypic (Turgeon et al. 1998). It occurs in Gulf Coast basins from
Texas to the Florida panhandle. It is also found sporadically in Arkansas and eastern
Oklahoma and historically in the Ohio River (Watters et al. 2009). Glebula rotundata
is somewhat unusual in that it typically occurs in the extreme lower reaches of coastal...

Genus Hamiota

Hamiota was erected for four mussels restricted to eastern Gulf Coast basins from
Mobile to Apalachicola. The species—Hamiota altilis, Hamiota australis, Hamiota
perovalis, and Hamiota subangulata—were previously included in Lampsilis or Villosa.
The unifying characteristic distinguishing them from all other unionids is the production...

Genus Lampsilis

Turgeon et al. (1998) recognized 28 Lampsilis species and 4 subspecies. Subsequently,
four species—Lampsilis altilis, Lampsilis australis, Lampsilis perovalis, and
Lampsilis subangulata—were moved to Hamiota when that genus was described (Roe
and Hartfield 2005). Lampsilis haddletoni was moved to Obovaria by Williams...

Genus Medionidus

Turgeon et al. (1998) recognized seven species of Medionidus, but one, M. mcglameriae,
was placed in the synonymy of Leptodea fragilis by Williams et al. (2008). Medionidus
occurs in Cumberland and Tennessee River drainages and eastern Gulf Coast
basins from the Mobile to Suwannee...

Genus Megalonaias

There are currently two recognized species of Megalonaias in North America, M.
nervosa and M. nickliniana. Megalonaias nervosa is the more widespread species, occurring
in the Mississippi River basin and Gulf Coast basins from northeast Mexico
east to the Ochlockonee River in Florida. Fossil records from the Pleistocene extend its...

Genus Obovaria

Obovaria was recognized as having six species by Turgeon et al. (1998). Lampsilis
haddletoni was moved to Obovaria based on its circular shape, shallow umbo cavity,
and triangular, divergent, striated pseudocardinal teeth (Williams et al. 2008). Villosa
choctawensis was placed in Obovaria based on marsupial morphology of gravid females...

Genus Plectomerus

Plectomerus is a monotypic genus (Turgeon et al. 1998) and occurs in Gulf Coast
rivers from the San Jacinto in eastern Texas to the Escambia in Florida. In the Mississippi
River basin, it is found south of the Ohio River in west Tennessee and Kentucky
and in Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Its presence in lower Tennessee...

Genus Pleurobema

Taxonomy of species in Pleurobema has been the subject of change as additional
information on genetics, distribution, and biology is published. In Turgeon et al. (1998),
32 species of Pleurobema were recognized as valid. Williams et al. (2008) made considerable
changes in the number of recognized species of Pleurobema after extensive comparative...

Genus Ptychobranchus

Five species were recognized in Ptychobranchus by Turgeon et al. (1998). An additional
species, Ptychobranchus foremanianus, from the eastern portion of the Mobile
basin was elevated from synonymy by Williams et al. (2008), bringing the total recognized
species in the genus to six. Ptychobranchus jonesi was described as a species...

Genus Pyganodon

Turgeon et al. (1998) included five species in Pyganodon. The genus occurs in
Hudson Bay, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins; Gulf Coast basins from Mexico
to Florida; and Atlantic Coast basins from Newfoundland to Georgia. Only one species,
Pyganodon grandis, is currently recognized as naturally occurring in Florida...

Genus Quadrula

There were 18 species and 2 subspecies recognized in Quadrula by Turgeon et al.
(1998). An additional species, Quadrula nobilis, was elevated from synonymy by Howells
et al. (1996) but was not included in Turgeon et al. (1998), though it is now widely
recognized as a valid species. Quadrula kieneriana was elevated from synonymy and...

Genus Reginaia

Reginaia was recently described based on a phylogenetic analysis of the genera of
the subfamily Ambleminae (Campbell and Lydeard 2012a). They removed three species
from Fusconaia and assigned them to Reginaia. Their analysis established the distinctiveness
of Reginaia; however, it was not clearly assignable to any recognized tribe...

Genus Toxolasma

Toxolasma was recognized as having eight species by Turgeon et al. (1998). An additional
undescribed species, Toxolasma sp. cf. corvunculus, which occurs in Escambia,
Yellow, and Choctawhatchee River basins in Alabama and Florida, was recognized by
Williams et al. (2008). Genetic analysis using mtDNA suggests there is another distinct...

Genus Uniomerus

Three species were recognized in Uniomerus by Turgeon et al. (1998). An additional
species, Uniomerus columbensis, was elevated from synonymy based primarily
on zoogeographic patterns and preliminary genetic data (Williams et al. 2008). A more
comprehensive examination of mitochondrial markers in Uniomerus from southern Atlantic...

Genus Utterbackia

Turgeon et al. (1998) recognized three species in Utterbackia. Utterbackia imbecillis
is the most wide-ranging North American mussel species, occurring in Mississippi
and Great Lakes basins, Gulf Coast basins from Mexico to Florida, and Atlantic Coast
basins from Delaware to Florida. It has apparently been introduced in some Atlantic...

Genus Villosa

Turgeon et al. (1998) recognized 18 taxa in Villosa. Two subspecies, Villosa vanuxemensis
vanuxemensis and Villosa vanuxemensis umbrans, were elevated to full species
by Williams et al. (2008), and Villosa choctawensis was reassigned to Obovaria (Williams
et al. 2011). Nephronaias gundlachi in Cuba was reported to be a Villosa (Johnson...

Chapter 11. Species of Hypothetical Occurrence

There are five mussels that have never been collected in Florida but are known to
occur in upstream reaches of rivers that flow into the state. The five species are Margaritifera
marrianae of the family Margaritiferidae, and Elliptio nigella, Lampsilis binominata,
Lasmigona subviridis, and Pyganodon cataracta of the family Unionidae...

Chapter 12. Additional Bivalves in Inland Waters

Florida inland waters are inhabited by 16 species of bivalve mollusks that are not
members of the families Margaritiferidae and Unionidae (Table 12.1). These additional
bivalves belong to the Cyrenidae (formerly Corbiculidae), Dreissenidae, Mactridae, and
Sphaeriidae, all families in the order Veneroida (Carter et al. 2011). Some members of...

Family Cyrenidae – Marshclams

The family Cyrenidae (formerly Corbiculidae) is represented by three species
within waters of the United States (Turgeon et al. 1998; Mikkelsen and Bieler 2008).
Cyrenidae differ anatomically from Unionidae in having true siphons as opposed to incurrent
and excurrent apertures (McMahon and Bogan 2001). Two species...

Family Dreissenidae – Falsemussels

The family Dreissenidae is represented by four species in marine, estuarine, and
freshwater environments of the United States (Turgeon et al. 1998). Two species are
native, Mytilopsis leucophaeata and Mytilopsis sallei, and two species are introduced,
Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis. Both native species occur in Florida...

Family Mactridae – Surfclams

Nine genera and 10 species of the family Mactridae occur in the United States (Turgeon
et al. 1998). They are primarily inhabitants of estuarine and marine environments,
but Rangia cuneata is occasionally found in freshwater...

Family Sphaeriidae – Fingernailclams, Peaclams, and Pillclams

The family Sphaeriidae includes small (length usually less than 25 mm), thinshelled
bivalves that are widely distributed across North America and occur in a variety
of natural and man-made habitats, including wetlands, creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes,
roadside ditches, canals, and reservoirs. In the United States and Canada, the family is...

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